Over the past few days, the YES campaign have been talking a lot about how we have to ‘work together to win nationally’, and that we can only reform the NUS from within. While they repeatedly wheel out these platitudes, they have failed to address any of the points raised by the NO campaign.

No one from YES has commented on the fact that Oxford have passed motions at NUS, only for them to be ignored by the leadership.

No one from YES has talked about how the NUS did nothing when Oxford raised its concern about NUS democracy.

No one from YES has responded to the fact that there is no point being part of a National movement, if the NUS don’t listen to you.

To those from YES who talk so passionately about reforming the NUS from within, I ask you, what have you tried? What have you done? Because I’ve spent the best part of 4 years trying to reform the NUS from within, and it’s just not going to happen. And while there are a few true reformers within the YES camp, the real reason the campaign won’t address this issue, is because to most of them, there is nothing wrong with the NUS. To them, nothing needs reforming. A vote for YES is a vote for the status quo.

So to those who haven’t voted yet, you have two options. You can vote YES, and nothing will change. The NUS President will hail the reaffiliation as a ringing endorsement of the organisation as is. Or you can vote NO – knowing that one of the most boring rules-geeky constitution-loving freaks ever to grace the debates of OUSU tried for 4 years to reform the NUS – and the NUS just didn’t listen. And not to blow my own trumpet, but if I, as that boring rules-geeky constitution-loving freak can’t get things changed after 4 years (N.B. longer than most people are at University) then I don’t see how anyone from the YES campaign can.